05.25.06
Mature Wines
Originally written on WineWiki.com May 9,2005……
This past weekend, I had the pleasure to sample 2 fairly mature wines. A 1989 Chimney Rock Cab and a 1983 Chateau Palmer Bordeaux, both excellent wines. I don’t often get the chance to enjoy mature wines. And to be able to have 2 in one weekend was a real treat.
Let me start with the 89 Chimney Rock Cab. We decanted at 5:00 PM for our dinner which was to be at 8:30. After about 9 hours in the decanter, the wine still had a tannic aroma, a little harsh and astringent. We were worried that the wine may have gone past prime. A quick taste revealed that there was still some fruit. And if anything the wine probably needed to open up and breathe a little more. We went ahead and poured glasses, sloshing it about some to air it. It was unbelievable. It only took about 10 minutes in the glass to really open up. Gone were the tannic overtones. The fruit came forward and there was still quite a bit of fruit left. This wine had not aged too long!! Neither had it suffered from poor storage. Someone commented on it having lost some color, but that was to be expected after 15 years. It was a very smooth drinking wine which paired well with the pork tenderloin. All together a lovely experience.
The 1983 Chateau Palmer was a completely different creature. Again, we opened it around 11:00 for a 8:00 dinner. We were planning steaks with it. On opening the cork nearly crumbled but I was able to extract it intact. There was very little lees in the bottle. The wine had very little aroma in the decanter. We were on pins and needles, concerned again that it may not have survived storage. Dinner arrived and it was time to sample the wine. The nose in the glass was pleasant. You could smell the fruit. There was no tannic or astingent quality at all. The color was still a deep ruby/garnet. A quick sip. Nothing harsh here. If I thought the 89 Chimney Rock was smooth, it was only because I had it before the 83 Bordeaux. This was liquid velvet!! So rich, so smooth!!!
Looking back on the weekend, I realize that the anticipation, the excitement of waiting on those wines to unfold, was as entertaining as actually drinking them. To see and experience the magic that can occur over time is a wonderful thing. Patience is a virtue.
Many of today’s wines are crafted to drink now. And that is no bad thing. But if you get the opportunity to lay down some really structured wines, do so. And then wait 10-20 years. The wait is worth it.
Ken - Drink what you like, and like what you drink!
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